anaerobe

Any organism, usually a bacterium, capable of living without air. Anaerobic pathogens obtain their energy from fermentation; nonpathogenic anaerobes in nature obtain their energy from anaerobic respiration, in which nitrate or sulphate serve as electron acceptors.

The ropharynx, skin, colon and vagina harbor up to 1011 anaerobes/cm3; they are common causes of infection, and may be associated with aerobic flora in infections and abscesses of the oral cavity, upper respiratory tract, colon, genital tract, skin and brain; factors controlling anaerobes’ virulence are uncertain.

ManagementPenicillin for supradiaphragmatic anaerobic infections; clindamycin, metronidazole, chloramphenicol or cephoxatin if the infection is below the diaphragm.

an·aer·obe

(an'ār-ōb)

A microorganism that can live and grow in the absence of oxygen.

[G. an- priv. + aēr, air, + bios, life]

anaerobe

an organism able to metabolize in the absence of free oxygen, obtaining energy from the breakdown of glucose in ANAEROBIC RESPIRATION. Some anaerobes are obligate, i.e. they can only survive in the absence of oxygen; examples are bacteria that cause food poisoning (see BOTULISM). Others (the majority) can live in either the presence or the absence of oxygen and are called facultative. When oxygen is present, respiration in these types is of the aerobic type involving the KREBS CYCLE to release maximum energy; when oxygen is absent they rely solely on energy released in anaerobic respiration.

Anaerobe

A type of bacterium that does not require air or oxygen to live. Anaerobic bacteria are frequent causes of lung abscess.

NASDAQ: OPTR) today announced further data from its Phase 2A clinical study of OPT-80, a potential treatment for Clostridium difficile infection, or CDI, have been accepted for presentation at the 9th Biennial Congress of the Anaerobe Society of the Americas, to be held in Long Beach, CA, June 25-27, 2008.

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